Mikhail Prokhorov explained his willingness to shell out more than $100 million in player salaries for next season – a figure that will trigger an NBA-record luxury tax bill of about $80 million.

“When I bought the team, I promised to create a championship contender, a team worthy of Brooklyn,” said Prokhorov. “I’ll be proud when we win the championship. I am not a man of procedure. I am a man of results.”

Prokhorov reiterated his goal of winning a title by 2015.

“In the NBA, money, it’s important, but you can’t buy a championship only spending money. What’s most important is to put pieces together [for] a championship contender,” he said. “Frankly speaking, I’ll do whatever I can to reach the championship here in Brooklyn. It was the goal when I bought the NBA team. From inside, for me there is only one place and that’s first place.”